By
DEBORAH A. MILESOctober is the month that officially kicks off the State Employees Federated Appeal (SEFA) campaign.
This year’s theme is “Your donation makes a world of difference!” And, according to PEF President Ken Brynien, “the key is to reach even more state workers to show how we are willing to meet the challenge of changing lives and neighborhoods.”
SEFA is the state-employee fundraising arm of the United Way and contributes annually to approximately 4,000 charitable agencies.
Susan Hager, president of United Way of NYS, said, “This campaign is successful due to the unfailing generosity of state workers who step up time and again, even when times are tough. We are grateful.”
The Capital Region SEFA Coordinator Joe Guastella said $2.8 million was raised in the Capital Region in 2007.
“We solicited around 52,000 state employees in an 11-county area and approximately 13,000 participated,” Guastella said. “That was a 25 percent participation rate.
“We are looking to increase the level of participation in the Capital Region, particularily in light of the economy and the increasing number of people requiring services,” he said.
As SEFA relies on volunteers to pull the campaign together, PEF took a role by designing the 2008 SEFA poster which was created pro bono by PEF graphic artist Mario Bruni. The Public Relations Department also helped produce a video that will be used to show contributors how their donations are being used.
“We thank all volunteers and the state employees who have participated in the past. We hope to raise the bar this year with more PEF participation to truly make a difference in the lives of so many,” Guastella said.
To make a tax-deductable donation to SEFA, contact your local agency campaign manager or seek assistance from your PEF council leader. The deadline for donations is December 31, 2008.
For more information on SEFA, you can also go to http://www.sefa.state.ny.us.
